The Hudson Players will present the contemporary play "Spinning into Butter" May 2 through 17.

The play, directed by Bob McCoy, takes place at the fictional Belmont College, a mostly-white liberal arts school in Vermont. Simon Brick, one of the few African-American students, begins receiving hateful, racist notes. The all-white administration, including dean Sarah Daniels, scrambles to contain the problem and reassure parents that everything is under control. But Daniels, in a controversial scene, reveals her not-so-latent racism, calling blacks lazy, stupid, and scary.

"Spinning into Butter" is by American playwright Rebecca Gilman. The play debuted at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in 1999. It was later produced at the Lincoln Center" Lincoln Center and the Royal Court Theatre, was named one of the best plays of 1999 by Time, and eventually became the third-most-produced play of the 2000-01 season.

The play's treatment of racism has sparked some controversy, according to information provided by Hudson Players. Novelist Ishmael Reed criticized the play, calling it racist and clumsy. But other critics defend the play, arguing that it exposes rather than perpetrates racism.

The play's treatment of political and social issues in an academic context have prompted comparisons to David Mamet's play "Oleanna."

The play's title comes from the story of "Little Black Sambo." In this famous and controversial tale, Sambo's clothes are stolen by tigers, who then begin to argue about who among them is dressed the finest. They chase each other around a tree until they spin themselves into butter, which Sambo eats with pancakes.

The cast includes Claudia Lillibridge as Sarah Daniels; Doug Lillibridge as Ross Collins; Chris White as Dean Catherine Kenney; Adam Young as Dean Burton Strauss; Jerry Schaber as Mr. Meyers; and Adam Leventhal as Patrick Chibas.

Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Individual show tickets can be reserved by calling 330-655-8522, by purchasing them in advance at The Learned Owl Bookstore on Main St. in Hudson or by purchasing them at the door on performance evenings.

Tickets are $12 regular admission and $10.50 for students and senior citizens.

Hudson Players is in downtown Hudson, in the Barlow Community Center.